1724.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 235 



consideration of the same, allows y" peticon to be reasonable, & 

 orders y" Clerk to present y" same before y' Commissioners & 

 Assessors of y" same County in order that they may fit a room 

 in y" new Court house for keeping y" s** Records in, k when pre- 

 pared order y" s'^ Clerk to transmit all of y" said Records to y* 

 place so appropriated accordingly, and not to be removed with- 

 out y* Court's direction."' 



It would be difficult now to see how any additional security 

 against casualties by fire was given to the Records, by removing 

 them to the Court-house. 



It will not be uninteresting to the reader to know in what 

 repute our new paper currency was held in the other provinces, 

 and also to have some light on the kind of coin then in general 

 circulation. The following extract from a letter from Elizabeth 

 Webb, a very intelligent public Friend of Birmingham, while on 

 a religious visit to Long Island, Rhode Island, &c., furnishes this 

 information. The letter is dated at "Newport on Road Island 

 y« 24"* of y'' 6"* mo. 1724," and is addressed to Joseph Brinton 

 of Thornbury. After treating of religious and social aifairs, 

 she speaks of having made arrangements for the purchase of a 

 horse, and advises her friend how to proceed in case " he hath a 

 mind for one." " Our paper money," she says, ^^will not do, 

 and if thou get some changed, it should be for iohole pieces of 

 gold for that which is cut will not pass but at <£6. an ounce, but 

 the Pistole goes for £1. 8s. Od. and a Moidore at £2. 4s. and 

 a half Pistole for 14s." 



A bill was passed this year prescribing the forms of declara- 

 tion of fidelity, affirmation, &c., entirely adapted to the con- 

 scientious scruples of Quakers on the subject of taking oaths. 

 Laws of a similar character had been passed, but they failed to 

 meet with the royal sanction, and the people were consequently 

 thrown back on the English act, which many could not sanction. 

 Acts passed by the Council and Assembly usually had the force 

 of laws until they were repealed by the home government, but 

 this one was not to become a law until it had received the appro- 

 bation of his majesty. This approbation, it will be seen hereafter, 

 was not secured without the employment of money. 



A complaint was made to the Assembly by the Indians re- 

 siding about the Brandywine. They represent that after the 

 sale of their lands to "Wm. Penn, " he had re-conveyed to them 

 a tract a mile in extent on each side of the creek, the deed for 

 which, had been burned with the cabin in which it had been 

 deposited ; and that the English had made settlements within 

 this tract, had injured their corn, and by dams on the creek, 

 had impeded the passage of fish." Though distrusting the 

 ■ Quarter Sessions Rec. West Chester. 



